Rebuilding, One Seed at a Time

As seed starting season kicks off, my mind isn't just on soil and trays; it’s on the person who started it all for me: my mom.

Long before I was the gardener you see on camera, I was a kid watching my mom transform a small patch of dirt in government housing into a sanctuary. Despite the challenges we faced during those years, she always maintained a backyard garden. We lived in a food desert, meaning fresh produce required a long drive or a trip on public transit. For her, growing tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers wasn’t just a hobby—it was a way to bring joy and fresh food to our table. I remember spending hours playing, watching her tend to those plants with such care.

One of the most rewarding parts of my journey today is the role reversal: my mom now comes to me for gardening advice and, of course, to raid my seed collection!

Since retiring, she has split her time between Canada and her home in Jamaica. This year has been particularly tough. After Hurricane Melissa hit the island, so much was lost. While my mom was lucky that her home stayed intact, her chicken pen was destroyed and her flock went MIA. Across the island, the destruction was widespread. Even staples like the Scotch Bonnet pepper—the heart of Jamaican cuisine—have become a rarity.

The picture below is of her packing supplies to send down to the island. But if there is one thing I learned from watching her all those years ago, it’s resilience. She is doing what she has always done in hard times: she is starting over. As I start my trays this year, I’m thinking of her and the island. She taught me that no matter what is lost, we can always start again—rebuilding, one seed at a time.

The woman who taught me everything I know about gardening—and even more about strength. Packing up for Jamaica and getting ready to rebuild, one seed at a time.